Providing information, education, and training to build knowledge, develop skills, and change attitudes that will lead to increased independence, productivity, self determination, integration and inclusion (IPSII) for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

Wyoming Advocacy Settlement Could Have National Impact
By Dave
Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
January 12, 2006

CHEYENNE,
WYOMING--In a settlement agreement that could affect advocacy efforts in
several states, Wyoming has agreed to allow that state's Protection and
Advocacy System, Inc. to see medical records of institution residents when it
investigates claims of abuse or neglect.

"Hopefully this will spare the taxpayers of all the states the expense
that we've had to go through," Jeanne Thobro, executive director of Wyoming's
P&A, told the Associated Press.

The federal government authorized protection and advocacy systems in
each state that advocate for people with developmental disabilities and mental
illness. Thobro said P&As in several states are either suing, or plan to
sue, over whether the nonprofit agencies have the right to view institution
residents' medical information.

The agreement, approved last week by U.S. Judge Alan B. Johnson, stems
from a federal lawsuit the P&A filed one year ago, in which it alleged that
the state failed to improve conditions, and to provide adequate staff and
training at the Wyoming State Hospital. The suit also claimed that the state
had violated federal law by refusing to allow them to review health records at
the hospital and the Wyoming State Training School.

Under the settlement, the state agreed to allow the P&A to access
medical records as long as federal laws require the disclosure and as long as
the P&A follows their guidelines within those laws. The agreement also
states that P&A staff will not need to give prior notice before accessing
the state facilities to investigate mistreatment allegations.

"Records establish facts. Records establish evidence," Thobro said. "To
be able to fully argue a case and to be able to fully represent issues, you
must have the facts, you must have the issues."

The GCDD is funded under the provisions of P.L. 106-402. The federal law also provides funding to the Minnesota Disability Law Center,the state Protection and Advocacy System, and to the Institute on Community Integration, the state University Center for Excellence. The Minnesota network of programs works to increase the IPSII of people with developmental disabilities and families into community life.